“I’m always quick to say I have no success without the guys on the bus with me” - Shaquille O'Neal says he’s been both a bus driver and a rider in his career, believes KD took Charles Barkley’s comments personally

A few days ago, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley called Kevin Durant a bus rider in KD’s championship years with the Golden State Warriors. Durant got back at Barkley yesterday with an Instagram post, pointing out that it was Chuck who was the bus rider after all.

On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the iconic LA Lakers big man elaborated on his comments about the Brooklyn Nets superstar. Here’s how the "Big Diesel" viewed his bus driver years with the Lakers:

“I’m always quick to say I have no success without the guys on the bus with me. Big Shot Bob, Rick Fox, B-Shaw, Imma say that until I can say nothing else. I got four, but without those guys, and of course, the Kobster and D-Wade, without those guys I wouldn’t have any. I just think he [Durant] took it a little personal.”

Shaquille O'Neal then referred to the 2005-06 season when he teamed up with a young Dwyane Wade to give the Miami Heat their first NBA title. Shaq famously and publicly pushed Wade to be the leader of that veteran-laden squad.

After losing their first two games to the Dallas Mavericks, they would win the next four to bag the trophy.

“I was a bus rider my last championship with D-Wade. I started off driving the bus, but I just didn’t have it. I was like, ‘D-Wade, here are the keys. You take it over.’ We were able to come back and win. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s all a team process.”

The legendary big man stressed that Kevin Durant played on an already made team, a team that had already won a championship before his arrival. Golden State had two of NBA history’s best shooters and Draymond Green, which afforded KD space and the opportunity to shine.

Durant’s playoff record with the dynastic Warriors is 38-10 and only 57-50 combining his playoff stint with the OKC Thunder and Brooklyn Nets. Shaq and Charles Barkley are saying that unless he wins at least one title on his own, he can’t be called the real bus driver.

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Shaquille O'Neal calls Kevin Durant an all-time great

Regardless of criticisms, Shaquille O'Neal unquestionably calls Kevin Durant one of the greatest ever.

Shaquille O'Neal, on both the podcast and comments on Inside the NBA, stressed that Kevin Durant is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play. But because of his greatness, expectations are sky-high for him, particularly since he has teamed up with another ultra-skilled player in Kyrie Irving. Criticisms are par for the course following their epic failure.

Shaq gave Durant sound advice on how to use criticism to fuel a bounce-back season and further build on his greatness:

“What I used to do, I just used to take the criticism and just feed it to my anger tank. Just feed it and just feed it and just feed and then when once I got tired of getting swept, that’s when the beast came out. And it was good!

“So, whenever they used to criticize me, I used to get so mad and try to play a great game and go back home just to see what they say. Like, that was my job, I will make you shut the hell up, that’s all Imma do.”

The Brooklyn Nets have a summer of uncertainties before their superstars take to the court again. Maybe the whole bus driver thing will now be seen from the rearview mirror or it could just be the start of a prolonged back-and-forth. Next season can’t come soon enough.